Cyber crooks impersonate NIA and ATS officials, cheat ex-mining firm MD of Rs 70 lakh

Mumbai, Sept 29 (PTI) A 73-year-old former managing director of the mining division of a global conglomerate was allegedly duped of Rs 70 lakh by cyber fraudsters posing as senior officers from the ATS Delhi and the NIA, Mumbai Police said on Monday.

The fraudsters threatened the victim, claiming that ATS Delhi had conducted a search operation in Mumbai in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack, and that his name had surfaced alongside those of builders, industrialists, and bureaucrats.

During a video call, one of the fraudsters—posing as an Inspector General (IG)-rank officer from the National Investigation Agency—told the victim that an arrest warrant had been issued in his name and even sent a photo of the purported warrant to his mobile phone, officials said.

The complainant, who resides in Parel area of Central Mumbai, had worked with the conglomerate’s mining company until his retirement in March 2022.

On the afternoon of September 25, he received a call from a woman claiming to be from the ATS Control Room in New Delhi.

She claimed that ATS had conducted searches in Mumbai related to the Pahalgam terror attack and that the name of the retired MD had emerged among those suspected of aiding terrorists.

She threatened that unless he visited the ATS Delhi office, all his bank accounts would be frozen. She further stated that the NIA was handling the investigation and that an IG-rank officer would contact him, officials said.

Subsequently, the victim received a video call from a man dressed in an IPS officer’s uniform, who claimed that the victim’s name had come up in a money laundering case and threatened to issue a warrant.

The 'police officer' warned that the agency would monitor all his activities and demanded the victim’s biodata and political ideology, stating that his superior would call the next day.

On September 26, the victim received another call from a man posing as a senior official. He inquired about the victim’s savings and investments and claimed that, as per RBI regulations, they needed to verify whether the funds were legitimate.

The caller instructed the victim to transfer Rs 70 lakh in three installments to various bank accounts.

The victim complied and transferred the money as instructed. After that, the fraudsters stopped contacting him.

Realising he had been cheated, the victim approached the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg police station in Central Mumbai and filed a complaint against the accused.

Police have registered a case against three unidentified persons under charges of impersonation, identity theft, posing as government servants, and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, an official said.

Further probe is underway. PTI DC NSK